Creel adapter for filamentary material processing apparatus



March 4, 1969 F. G. HEUMANN 3,430,892

' CREEL ADAPTER FOR FILAME NTARY MATERIAL PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 5, 1966 Sheet Ora I IN VEN TOR Arrow/5y:

March 4,1969 F. G. HEUMANN 3,430,892

CREEL ADAPTER FOR FIIQAMENTARY MATERIAL PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed'Aug- 5, 1966 Sheet 2 of 5 INVENTOR. fi mm/a 6. Ham/w ATTORNEYS March 4, 1969 F. G. HEUMANN f 3,430,892

I CREEL ADAPTER FOR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 5, 1966 Sheet 3 of 5 I N VEN TOR. fiemze/a 6. /4A/A/ w lm ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,43%,892 Patented Mar. 4, 1969 3,430,892 CREEL ADAPTER FOR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL PROCESSING APPARATUS Frederick G. Heumann, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 570,033 US. Cl. 242--129.5 10 Claims Int. Cl. B6511 49/18, 75/24 ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure embraces a rotatable creel adapter for supporting tubular packages of textile strand or yarn on a creel frame of a twister machine, the adapter comprising a hub having radially extending arms of rigid molded resinous material, and a member embracing each arm connected thereto by a pin and slot lost motion means with a plate spring disposed between each member and the adjacent arm to bias the member outwardly for engagement with the interior of a tubular package.

This invention relates to means for supporting wound packages of filamentary material from which the material is withdrawn for processing and more especially to a creel adapter construction for use with twister apparatus for transferring filamentary materials from supply packages onto rotating bobbins or collectors.

In the textile industry it is conventional practice to mount wound packages of filamentary material on supports or arbors of a creel frame, and the filamentary material transferred onto bobbins or collectors rotating at high speeds to impart twist to strands, yarns or other materials as they are collected upon rotating bobbins or spools. The creel frame of a twister apparatus of conventional character is equipped with a plurality of cylindrically-shaped arbors for supporting tubular wound packages, the apparatus having an equal number of bobbin supporting spindles whereby the strands or yarns of all of the packages are simultaneously transferred onto the bobbins.

Creel adapters of cylindrical shape have closed ends rendering it difiicult for the operator to remove fuzz and fragments of fibers or filaments broken from the strands or yarns during processing. In the use of adapters heretofore employed for mounting wound packages, there is a tendency at high speed rotation for the packages to fly oif or become disengaged from the adapter.

The present invention embraces the provision of a creel adapted for supporting Wound packages of filamentary material wherein the adapter is readily accessible for cleaning without removing the adapter from its mounting.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a creel adapter for supply packages of filamentary material embodying components resiliently engaging the supply package whereby the package is mounted on the adapter in a manner minimizing the tendency for packages to fly off or become disengaged from the adapter.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an adapter having relatively movable package-engaging components whereby packages of various diameters may be supported upon the adapter, the arrangement including resilient means to frictionally retain a supply package on the adapter.

Another object of the invention resides in a supply package creel adapter which may be driven by a mounting means or wherein the adapter may be rotatably mounted upon a nonrotatable support.

Another object of the invention embraces a creel adapter construction configurated to accommodate or receive distorted tubular supply packages without impairing successful withdrawal of the filamentary material from such package.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a creel adapter of comparatively light weight fashioned with radially movable package engaging components for automatically centering the package about the axis of rotation of the adapter.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric schematic view of a portion of a textile strand or yarn twisting apparatus and a form of creel adapter construction of the invention associated therewith;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view partly in section illustrating one form of creel adapter of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the construction shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 illustrating a modified form of creel adapter of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a detail view of a bushing of the adapter shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on the line 66 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating a modified form of spring means for package-engaging components of the adapter.

While the creel adapter construction of the invention is especially usable for mounting wound packages of strand, yarn or roving of glass filaments or fibers packaged on a thin-walled tube for processing on a twister machine or apparatus, it is to be understood that the adapter may be utilized for mounting supply packages of other textile materials for processing operations.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 illustrates a portion of a twister apparatus or twister machine 10 of conventional construction having a frame structure including end housings 12, one of which is shown in FIG- URE 1, connected together by spindle-supporting or bolster rails 14 and by a creel frame 16 and other frame components (not shown). The creel frame structure 16 is adapted to support tubular supply packages 20 of strands of filamentary material wound on packaging tubes 21, each package being mounted by a creel adapter means 22 of the invention, the adapter means being hereinafter described in detail.

A bolster rail 14 is arranged at each side of the apparatus, one of which is shown in FIGURE 1, each bolster rail supporting a plurality of spindle mounting units 24. Each unit 24 includes means supporting a bobbin drive shaft or spindle 26 equipped with a whorl 28, the whorl and spindle being journally supported upon the bolster rail 14 by conventional means (not shown). Each of the whorls 28 is adapted to be engaged by an endless flexible driving belt 30 for rotating the whorls.

An idler roll 32 is disposed adjacent each whorl and is relatively movable by conventional means (not shown) for controlling engagement of the driving belt with a whorl to selectively establish or interrupt a drive connection to each spindle. Each spindle is adapted to support and drive a removable collector bobbin or spool 34 on which the filamentary material, such as strand 36, is collected from the supply packages 20.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the driving belt 30 extends lengthwise of the apparatus and is engaged with a drive pulley mounted upon a shaft 48 driven by an electrically energizable motor 50 through power transmission gearing of conventional construction contained within a housing 52 supported adjacent the motor 50, the latter being mounted upon a supplemental frame 54.

The twister apparatus includes conventional ring rails 56, one of which is shown in FIGURE 1, each ring rail being mounted for vertical reciprocation by conventional means (not shown) driven by the motor 50.

Each ring rail is fashioned with circular openings 58 to accommodate the bobbins carried by the spindles, each circular opening 58 being defined by a circular track 60 equipped with movable traveler or flyer 62 for rotation on the track around the bobbin, each strand 36 being threaded through a flyer 62 in the well known conventional manner.

The twister apparatus is inclusive of strand feed roll units 64 of conventional construction. Each unit includes feed rolls 66 driven from a shaft 6 8 by a belt 70 through power transmission mechanism in a housing 72, the transmission mechanism in the housing 72 being driven from the power transmission mechanism in the housing 52 by a belt 74 engaged with pulleys 76. Each strand or filamentary material feeding unit 64 is of conventional construction and embodies means (not shown) for interrupting the feed of a strand 36 in the event of breakage of the strand.

In operation, each of the strands 36 from the supply packages 20 is threaded through a set of the feed rolls 66, through the guide eye of an arm 67 of the feed roll mechanism, through a flyer 62 and is wound upon a rotating bobbin 34. The strands, as they are being wound upon the bobbins, are distributed lengthwise of the bobbins by vertical reciprocation of the ring rail 56 in the conventional manner.

The invention embraces a creel adapter construction or support means mounting packages of strand or other filamentary material to be processed on the twister apparatus. One form of creel adapter construction is illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

With particular reference to FIGURE 2, a wall 80 of the creel supporting frame or construction 16 is equipped with antifriction bearings -82 supporting a rotatable shaft 84. Pairs of bearings are provided for supporting the shaft 84, one of the bearings of a pair being illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The creel construction or adapter 22 in the form shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 is inclusive of an adapter body 86 preferably fashioned of molded resinous material such as nylon. The body 86 is fashioned with a hub portion 88 and a plurality of radially extending arms 90, four arms being illustrated in FIGURE 3 circumferentially spaced ninety degrees apart. It is to be understood that three or more arms may be utilized if desired. Each of the arms is integrally joined with the hub portion 88 by connecting portions 92, the hub, connecting portions and arms 90 being integrally molded as a unit.

The hub portion 88 is bored to snugly receive or accommodate a tenon 94 provided on the supporting shaft 84, a suitable feather key 96 being disposed in registering grooves or splines in the hub and tenon portion of the shaft provides a positive drive connection between the adapter body 86 and the shaft 84. The end of the tenon 94 is threaded to accommodate a securing nut 98 for retaining the adapter on the shaft 84.

Each of the radial arms 90 provides support for a relatively movable package-engaging and mounting member 100. Each of the mounting members 100 is in the form of an elongated cap of U-shaped cross section having a bight portion 102, furcations or side wall portions 104 and an integral end cover portion 105.

As particularly shown in FIGURE 3, the side wall portions of each cap straddle the adjacent arm 90. Each of the members or arms 90 is fashioned with a pair of radially elongated parallel slots 106 to accommodate tubular rivets or pins 108 Whig]; @Ktend through the slots 106 and into aligned openings in the side walls 104 as shown in FIGURE 3.

The ends of the tubular rivets or pins 108 are swaged to secure the pins against dislodgment. Through this arrangement, each of the caps 100 is mounted for limited radial movement relative to the axis of the shaft 84, the extent of relative movement being defined by the length of the slots 106. The pin and slot arrangement provides an interlocking lost motion connection between each of the members and the adjacent member 100. It is to be understood that, if desired, the pins may be snugly fitted in circular openings in the members or arms 90 and the slots provided in the side walls 104 of each of the members to facilitate relative movement between each cap or member 100 and the adjacent arm.

Resilient means is provided for each cap or member 100 for normally biasing the cap toward its outermost position radially of the shaft 84. Disposed in the elongated space 112 between a cap member and the surface 114 of the adjacent arm 90 is a plate spring 116 of undulating shape of the character illustrated in FIGURE 2. The plate spring 116 is preferably shaped and disposed whereby an intermediate undulation 118 and end portions 120 engage the inner surface of the bight portion 102 of the cap 100.

Through this arrangement multiple radially directed pressure zones are effective on each cap. Through the provision of the radially movable spring-biased caps 100, the caps are compressed radially inwardly by the tube 21 of a cylindrical package 20 of filamentary material telescoped over the caps 100 to resiliently hold the package on the adapter and accommodate variations in the diameters of packaging tubes or distorted tubes. The outward radial pressures provided by the springs 100 set up sufficient frictional engagement with a package tube to resist dislodgment of the package during rotation and assure a. drive connection for the package.

The skeleton-like body 86 provides access space the full length of the adapter including the region rearwardly of the adapter adjacent the housing wall 80 enabling the operator to remove fuzz and fragments of filaments that may collect and accumulate on the adapter during use. In the form shown in FIGURE 2, the plate spring or resilient means 116 contained within each of the caps 100 is not restricted against endwise movement thus facilitating assembly of the springs in the adapter construction. Each of the caps 100 is provided at its rear end with an outwardly extending abutment 122 for positioning the tube of the wound package lengthwise of the adapter.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a modified form of adapter construction of the invention for mounting on a stationary supporting shaft whereby the adapter is rotatable on the mounting shaft.

In this form the mounting shaft is fixedly secured in a bore in a mounting block .132 which may be welded or otherwise secured to the housing wall 80. The adapter body 136 is fashioned with a central hub portion 138 having integral radially-extending members or arms 140, there being preferably four arms equally spaced circumferentially as in the form shown in FIGURE 3. In this form the hub portion 138 is substantially longer than that shown in FIGURE 2.

Each of the radial arms 140 is provided with a cap member 100' of the same character as that shown in F -IGURES 2 and 3, and an undulating or plate spring 116' is disposed between each of the arms and the adjacent cap, the springs 116' being of the same character as the springs 116 shown in FIGURE 2. Each of the members or arms 140 is fashioned with radially elongated slots 106' accommodating tubular rivets or pins 108 extending through the slots and circular openings in the side walls of the members or caps 100' providing an interlocking lost motion connection between each of the arms 140 and the adjacent cap 100', the slots 106 limiting the radial movement of caps 100'.

In this form of the invention, the hub portion 138 has a central or axial bore 142 to accommodate bushings 144, a bushing being disposed within each end region of the bore 142. Each of the bushings is fashioned with radially extending, diametrically opposed projections 146, particularly shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, which engage in slots fashioned in the end regions of the hub portion L138.

Each bushing is provided with a flange 150 which, in assembly, abuts an end of the hub portion 138. The shaft 130 is fashioned with a tenon portion 152 extending through the bushings 144, the bushings being rotatable on the tenon portion 152 of the shaft 130.

The projections 146 are fashioned with raised portions or detents 154 adapted to snap into reciprocally-shaped depressions molded or fashioned at the base of each of the recesses accommodating a projection 146' on the bushing. In assembly the bushings are telescoped or inserted into the ends of the bore 142 and the raised por tions 154 snapped into the depressions in the hub portion to secure the bushings to the body 136. In the event that the bushings become worn they may be readily removed and replaced. A collar 156 is fitted on the end of the tenon portion 152 of the mounting shaft and a pin 158 extends through aligned openings in the collar and the tenon 152 of the shaft to retain the adapter on the mounting shaft .130.

The adapter construction shown in FIGURE 4 supports a wound package of filamentary material in the same manner as in the form shown in FIGURE 2. In the form shown in FIGURE 4, the strand is unwound from the package by pull rolls of conventional character such as those shown at 66 in FIGURE 1, the adapter rotating relative to the supporting shaft 130 during strand withdrawal.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a modification embodying an arrangement for preventing endwise movement of the resilient means or springs employed for biasing the caps to their outermost positions. In this form each radially extending arm or member 140a of an adapter body 136a is fashioned with a transverse recess or depression 162. A spring 164 of the undulating plate type is disposed between each radial arm 140a and a cap member 100a for biasing the cap member outwardly of the axis of the adapter. Each spring 164 is fashioned with a U-shaped indentation providing a projection or raised portion 166 adapted to be received in a recess 162 as shown in FIG- URE 7, this arrangement restricting endwise movement of the spring 164 with respect to the adjacent radial arm of an adapter body. The spring construction 164, shown in FIGURE 7, may also be utilized with the form of adapter body illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The forms of creel adapter construction hereinbefore described provide a mounting means for wound packages wherein the adapter caps frictionally engage the tube 21 of a package under the radial pressures of the biasing springs to properly center the package about the axis of the supporting shaft, whether the adapter is of the driven type as shown in FIGURE 2, or of the freely rotatable type mounted upon a fixed shaft, as shown in FIGURE 4. The construction of adapter body facilitates easy cleaning of the adapter by an operator and the adapters may be readily removed from the supporting shafts if replacement or repair becomes necessary.

The interlocking lost motion connection between the caps and their supporting arms readily accommodate variations in the diameters of the package tubes. The adapter bodies are preferably molded of suitable substantially rigid resinous material such as nylon thereby reducing the cost of the adapter. The caps mounted on the arms of the adapter bodies are also preferably fashioned of molded resinous material such as nylon, or they may be fashioned of sheet metal, if desired.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than as herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

'I claim:

1. A creel adapter for supporting tubular wound packages of filamentary material including, in combination, an adapter body mounted for rotation about an axis, said body having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced arms extending outwardly from the axis of the body, a package-engaging member adjacent each of said arms, a lost motion connection between each of the circumferentially spaced arms and the adjacent package-engaging member, and resilient means normally biasing each of said package-engaging members outwardly of the axis of the body.

2. A creel adapter for supporting tubular wound packages of filamentary material including, in combination, a shaft, an adapter body, said body having a hub portion mounted by the shaft, radially extending members connected with the hub portion, said body being rotatable about the axis of the shaft, a package-engaging member of U-shaped cross section disposed adjacent each of said radially extending members, pin and slot means establishing a lost motion connection between each of the radially extending members and the adjacent packageengaging member providing for radial movement of the package engaging members relative to the radially extending members, and resilient means biasing each of said package-engaging members to its outer most position relative to the axis of the shaft.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the hub portion is provided with an axial opening to receive the shaft, and means securing the body on the shaft whereby the body is rotatable with the shaft.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the hub portion is provided with an axial opening, and bushing means in the opening in the hub portion and accommodating the shaft whereby the adapter body is rotatable on the shaft.

5. A creel adapter for supporting tubular wound packages of filamentary material including, in combination, an adapter body of substantially rigid resinous material mounted for rotation about an axis, said body having circumferentially-spaced radially extending members, a package engaging member adjacent each of said radially extending members, each package engaging member straddling the adjacent radially extending member, an interlocking lost motion connection between each of said members of the adapter body and the adjacent package engaging member, and resilient means comprising an undulating plate spring having portions engaging a radially extending member and the adjacent package engaging member for biasing each of said package engaging members to its outermost position from the axis of the adapter body.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the interlocking lost motion connection includes pins carried by each of the members of one group extending into elongated slots provided in each of the members of the other group of members whereby each package-engaging member is mounted for limited movement relative to the adjacent radially extending member.

7. A creel adapter for supporting tubular wound packages of filamentary material on a creel frame including, in combination, an adapter body of substantially rigid resinous material, said body having a hub portion and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced radially-extending arms, a cap member on each of said arms, each cap member being of U-shaped cross section having its side walls astraddle the adjacent arm, connecting means between each of the cap members and the adjacent arm providing for limited relative movement of each cap member, and resilient means biasing each of said cap members to its outermost position.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein each 7 8 arm has a pair of elongated slots, and pins carried by the References Cited slaiadsfgasllisn (31 gig; nadjacent cap member extending through UNITED STATES PATENTS 9. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the 1,956,193 4/1934 Gonong 242*129-7 X resilient biasing means is a plate spring of undulating 2,469,390 5/1949 BloPnt shaped disposed between each of the arms and the bight 3,112,082 11/1963 Altlce at 24246-5 portion of the adjacent U-shaped cap member. I 10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein the LEONARD CHRISTIAN Examme" plate spring has a portion engaging in a recess in the ad- U S cl X R jacent arm for restricting lengthwise movement of the 10 plate spring. 

